


For Rita

by samidha



Category: Dexter (TV)
Genre: Canon Relationships, Canon-Typical Violence, Canonical Character Death, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-27
Updated: 2017-06-27
Packaged: 2018-11-19 20:03:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 462
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11320707
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/samidha/pseuds/samidha
Summary: What Dexter is willing to do for Rita.





	For Rita

**Author's Note:**

> For a comment fic meme of days past.

Dexter lets Lila West's body fall to the ground, pocketing the syringe.

He's been so stupid, and now all he can do is clean up his mess.

So stupid. He'd nearly lost Rita for this. He'd nearly let the kids die for this. This pipe dream, this sick nightmare.

He had thought someone could understand him--did understand him. And now he was here. Killing her.

He told himself that it was for Rita. For her soft blonde hair, sun-bleached and perfect and hers. For the way her face lit up on the first day he saw her in the coffee shop and he paid for her favorite drink.

It had meant nothing then--part of the act. It meant the world now.

They had met a few more times in the coffee shop, learning when to orchestrate their well-timed coincidences. But Dexter had told himself there was nothing date-like about those things. He was studying her. Preparing to play a part. To run an experiment.

He took his time, and so did she--with good reason. The coincidences over coffee had gone on for almost two months when it happened.

Paul became more than a bastard husband. Rita let him know--Paul was a predator. One who had left her broken apart and empty inside, just like Dexter.

Dexter sidled up to Angel the next day at lunch with a double meat Cuban sandwich, gratis, and asked, "So this is just what the cat dragged in. Where's your favorite fine Cuban cuisine?"

"Oh, bro, I'm tellin' you, my wife's got this little hole-in-the-wall, she swears the food's almost as good as her abuelita's--I dunno how she--"

"Sounds great, buddy. Where is it?"

"Over by the water on Jefferson, so small you'd miss it if you blinked. Rosario's."

"I'll make a note of it, my friend. Enjoy your conquest," Dex said with a sweeping gesture taking in the sandwich.

There were really few things better than a good lunch.

Three days later they sat at a tiny table at Rosario's (he wished he'd thought about the cramped nature of outdoor seating--it was awkward) and Rita smiled at him like he was good and kind.

Dexter knew he should feel something, and he also knew he'd already made a decision. That didn't matter. She was perfect.

He took her hand, rubbed a soft circle with his thumb like he'd seen people do and he thought, This is good. This is safe. Good work, Dex.

You can work with this, he thought then.

Now he has killed a woman, Lila West--and this kill is not for himself. It's not for Deb or any number of countless strangers in Lila's path.

This kill is for Astor, for Cody. This is for Rita.


End file.
